Ningxin came in carrying breakfast, steam curling like morning mist from the bowls.

“Ning-jie.” Li Muyan rose, his voice steady like a pillar in a quiet hall.

“Have some breakfast…” Ningxin’s smile warmed the room like a weak winter sun.

“Mm…” Li Muyan agreed, taking the food like catching a drifting leaf.

“Any plans for today?” Ningxin sat by Tang Coco’s bed, her hand stroking Coco’s soft white hair like snowgrass, and the pale face stabbed her heart like a cold blade.

“Mm… I’m going home soon. Father should’ve rested by now. We need to sort what happened,” Li Muyan said, her gaze anchored on Coco like a lantern by a storm dock.

“Yeah… too much hit us. I already reached out to your family. I’ll go back with you,” Ningxin said, her tone calm like still water.

“Mm?” The surprise in Li Muyan’s eyes rippled like a pebble tossed in a pond.

“This mess involved us Abnormals, so some things are best explained face-to-face,” Ningxin said softly, her breath even like wind through bamboo.

“I see…” The worry eased in Li Muyan’s brow like thawing frost, then returned as she looked at Coco like a nurse guarding a wilting flower. “What about Coco? If no one’s with her in this state…”

“Don’t worry. I’ve already discussed it with Gu Xin and the others. They bought a new villa in Ninghai, quiet like a cove. We’ll place Coco there for now. Until she wakes, they’ll guard her like watchfires,” Ningxin said, her certainty firm as granite.

“Gu Xin and the others? Those two beautiful girls from yesterday?” Li Muyan asked, the memory rising like a faded photograph. Yesterday’s urgency and heavy mood stole her questions.

“Right. They’re strong, strong enough to shield Coco like iron against rain,” Ningxin nodded, conviction ringing like steel.

“You’re right. They are strong, but…” Li Muyan’s face carried worry like a bruise under lamplight.

“What is it?” Ningxin’s voice folded around the question like silk.

“I feel something stronger than Abnormals out there… Yesterday’s Coco was the strongest Abnormal I’ve ever seen, like a peak above clouds. But that black energy still crushed her, leaving dread clinging like a shadow to bone,” Li Muyan said, her face set like stone.

“…” The silence from Ningxin settled like snowfall.

“Maybe. If Abnormals exist, other powerful beings can too. I don’t know what they are, but I do know Coco stands with us like a bright flag,” Ningxin said, eyes steady like stars.

“True…” Li Muyan finally smiled, light flickering like dawn, and Ningxin continued, voice sure as an oath.

“So I believe Coco will explain it. For now, we guard her with everything we’ve got, like a circle of shields,” Ningxin said, resolve climbing like a flame.

“Mm! I get it.” Li Muyan nodded, her mind set like a tied knot.

“Alright, eat up.” Ningxin’s tone lifted like a breeze through curtains.

Li Muyan started tasting the breakfast, the warmth spreading like soup through cold hands.

Knock, knock. A moment later, the sound tapped at the door like a woodpecker on bark.

“You’re here.” Ningxin went to the door, where Gu Xin and Meng Yuting stood like two clear blades.

“Mm, how’s Coco?” Gu Xin asked, her eyes scanning like hawks.

“The injuries are stable. Now we wait for her to wake, like watching ice melt,” Ningxin said.

“I see…” Gu Xin breathed, looking at the white-haired girl on the bed like a fallen moon, her feelings tangled like vines.

“Is the house ready?” Ningxin asked, her tone crisp like bell chimes.

“Mm, the environment there’s great, quiet like a garden after rain,” Meng Yuting answered.

“Good…” The word settled like a stone in place.

“Let’s take Coco over first. Can she be moved?” Gu Xin asked, caution coiling like a cat.

“Mm. The external wounds are all treated. Move gently and it’s fine, like lifting paper,” Ningxin said.

“I’ll carry her.” Meng Yuting stepped to the bed and lifted the quilt like lifting snow, revealing Coco’s body wrapped in many bandages like white vines. She stretched out her arms and picked Coco up, soft as lifting a sleeping bird. Li Muyan tucked a thin blanket over Coco like a cloud’s veil. Together, the women carried Coco to the rear yard of the Imperial Walk Club, where a luxury RV stood gleaming like a silver whale. They boarded with Coco cradled like a treasure.

“Wait! One more thing!” Li Muyan suddenly called, her voice cutting like a bell, and she ran back into the club like a swift shadow.

“What is it?” Meng Yuting asked, the question hovering like smoke.

“Don’t know…” Ningxin shook her head, the gesture light as willow.

Soon, Li Muyan returned, holding the “giant egg,” white and smooth like polished stone in moonlight.

“Take this too. Keep it by Coco’s side,” Li Muyan said, offering the “giant egg” like an offering.

“What is that?” Meng Yuting asked, her curiosity pricking like sparks.

“When Coco fell unconscious, the blue particles around her condensed into this. It should be tied to her like a thread,” Li Muyan explained, voice low as river water.

“Really? That’s unbelievable,” Meng Yuting breathed, wonder blooming like a lantern.

“If so, then we keep it close,” Gu Xin said as she accepted the white “giant egg,” her hands steady as scales.

Gu Xin took the wheel, and they left the Imperial Walk Club like a caravan slipping into the night road.

“Alright, let’s get ready to go too…” Ningxin patted Li Muyan’s back, the touch reassuring like warm cloth.

“Mm.” The answer was soft, settling like dust.

Half an hour later, Gu Xin and Meng Yuting reached a seaside villa district, waves glinting like fish scales beyond the roofs. They had chosen a quiet villa, secluded like a hermit’s hut, and laid Tang Coco on the bed, emergency measures prepared like tools neatly lined.

“Phew—now we’re set,” Meng Yuting exhaled, relief floating like steam.

“Mm.” Gu Xin nodded, then said, “We’ll stay here for a while, waiting for Coco to wake, like guarding a sprout.”

“Yeah. We already informed Hong Wei about Shanmao last night. The rest is on him,” Meng Yuting said, the memory dark as charcoal. Hong Wei had been furious, but not at Shanmao. He trusted her hardship like trusting bread to rise. His six most beloved subordinates had been like his children, and he believed Shanmao had her reasons. His rage burned for those behind the scenes who hurt and threatened Shanmao, and he swore to find them like a hunter tracking prints in snow.

“So for these days, we’ve got nothing urgent. Let’s rest here too. We can’t let Xiaoxiao know we’re back yet, especially about Coco,” Meng Yuting said, caution wrapping like gauze.

“Mm.” Gu Xin nodded, then asked, eyes curious as cats, “But… what is this thing?”

She tapped the white “giant egg” by Coco’s side, the sound hollow like a drum.

“No idea… but it should be related to Coco like a root to a tree,” Meng Yuting said, shrugging like a leaf.

“You think there’s a creature inside?” Gu Xin asked, half-teasing like wind.

“Whoa! No way. What kind of egg is that?” Li Muyan blurted, surprise popping like a spark.

“Maybe not…” Meng Yuting’s smile softened like butter.

“Alright. When Coco wakes, we’ll get our answer,” Gu Xin said, hope shining like a wick.

“Mm.” The hush settled like dusk.

By then, Ningxin and Li Muyan had reached the Li family’s residential compound, the gate opening like a slow jaw. Pushing the door, Li Muyan saw several people seated in the living room like statues: her parents, her grandfather, and two officers trusted by Li Shoujing.

“You’re here. Come sit.” Li Jingtian, her grandfather, spoke, his voice firm as iron yet warm as tea.

“Okay.” The answer slid out like a bead.

“Sorry to intrude, Grandpa Li,” Ningxin said with respect that bowed like bamboo.

“What are you saying, Xin? Don’t be so polite,” Li Jingtian laughed, pretending to scold like a playful elder.

“Hehe, Xin was wrong,” Ningxin said, sticking out her tongue like a mischievous girl, a rare bright petal from her.

“Commander Li is alright now?” Ningxin asked, looking to Li Shoujing, her gaze neat as stitching.

“Mm, all good now. Thanks to Xin’s rescue,” Li Shoujing said, gratitude glowing like embers.

“It was all Coco’s merit,” Ningxin said, her voice gentle as rain.

“Coco? The red-haired girl?” Li Shoujing asked, his brow lifting like a curtain.

“This…” Ningxin hesitated, the pause hanging like fog.

“You two, head downstairs,” Li Jingtian said to the two officers, his tone crisp as a blade.

“Yes!” They left like boots brushing stone.

“No outsiders now,” Li Jingtian said, the air easing like a loosened knot.

“Mm. I know you’ll ask about Coco,” Ningxin said, words pacing like an orderly.

“This time’s success was Coco’s. Strictly speaking, she’s not one of our organization. She’s not on our official roster,” Ningxin said, truth dropping like a stone into deep water.

“Oh? So how did you meet?” Li Jingtian asked, curiosity flickering like a lamp.

“That… ask Muyan. She knows the details,” Ningxin said, glancing like a handoff.

“Hmm? Yanyan knows too?” Li Shoujing looked at his daughter, his eyes soft as bread.

“Mm. It starts two weeks before the semester began…” Li Muyan began, explaining slowly like unwinding a spool.

Meanwhile, at Ye Yiyi’s place.

“Waa!! I’m so bored!” Meng Xiaoxiao rolled on the sofa like a restless cat, her voice bouncing like rubber.

“Uh… wanna go out for a walk?” Ye Yiyi stood nearby, her face clouded like a gray morning. She’d slept late last night and dreamed of bad things, shadows sticking like tar, so after waking, her mood sank like a stone. She wanted fresh air like a cure.

“Yeah, yeah—let’s go shopping!” Meng Xiaoxiao cheered, joy flaring like fireworks.

“Mm…” Ye Yiyi thought for a moment, then agreed, her nod quick as a bird. The two left the villa district at once, the car sliding out like a fish.

Back at the Li family…

“So that’s how it is… true… her identity feels unreal, like smoke,” Li Shoujing said, brows knotting like cords.

“But her nature can’t be bad, or I wouldn’t have agreed to let her stay near Yiyi,” Li Muyan added, her words steady like stakes.

“I can vouch for that. She gave us a fake identity because she has her own hardships, like stones in her shoes,” Ningxin said, conviction calm as a lake.

“Mm. I’m not denying her. From yesterday, I already knew her heart isn’t bad,” Li Shoujing smiled, his relief warming like soup.

“Her strength must be extraordinary,” Li Shoujing asked Ningxin, curiosity keen as a knife.

“Right. By our Abnormal ranks, she’s top-tier, like a summit above clouds,” Ningxin said, voice cool as metal.

“Such a strong Abnormal, and we never noticed her in Ninghai…” Li Shoujing mused, surprise thin as ice.

“True. Coco appeared suddenly, like a star at dusk. Because of her strength, I didn’t put her on our official list. Our organization…” Ningxin paused, the words snagging like thread.

“I understand. Every group has its unspoken rules. You did right, Xin,” Li Shoujing said, acceptance broad as shade.

“In that case, I want to bring her into the Li family,” Li Jingtian said suddenly, the decision dropping like a gavel.

“Mm?” Ningxin looked at him, surprise bright as a spark.

“I think the Li family suits her. On the surface, we’re military. Most won’t dare target Li people, like thieves avoiding torches. Also, we’re not an Abnormal clan in the open. Here, she can hide her identity like a pearl in a shell,” Li Jingtian said, logic stacking like bricks.

“…” Ningxin lowered her head, thinking like clouds gathering.

“And Muyan, your bond with her is good already, right?” Li Jingtian asked, his gaze gentle as moss.

“I…” The sudden question tangled Li Muyan’s heart like vines.

“Yanyan, you don’t need to hide. The Li family has its rules, especially for you. We won’t block your choices, or we wouldn’t have let you stay by Ye Yiyi,” Li Jingtian explained, his tone warm like sunlight through blinds.

“…” Li Muyan lowered her head, her mother’s hand squeezing hers like a quiet promise.

"Alright—when Coco wakes, I’ll talk it through with her..." Ningxin said, her voice a flickering candle, unsure which Coco would open her eyes.

"Good—let’s leave her matter there. Anything else?" Li Jingtian asked, his words dropping like pebbles on a still pond.

"Grandpa, I want to ask..." Li Muyan said, his chest tight like a drawn bow. "What’s with Yiyi, and why did you place me by her side back then?" he asked, the words tumbling like loose stones down a slope.

They fell silent, the pause pooling like cold water, as Li Jingtian and Li Shoujing traded a glance, two shadows crossing under a lantern.

"Sigh... I knew you’d bring this up..." Li Jingtian finally breathed out, a wind through pines.